Russia Launches Khabarovsk Nuclear Submarine Equipped With Poseidon Drones

Russia's Defence Minister Andrei Belousov presided over the dramatic launch of the Khabarovsk nuclear-powered submarine at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk on November 1, 2025, a ceremony beamed live on national TV. Attended by Naval Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev and top brass, the event highlighted Moscow's naval resurgence. Belousov declared it a "significant milestone," as the vessel slipped into the White Sea waters amid cheers and fanfare. This yard, famed for refitting India's INS Vikramaditya, now births Russia's latest underwater behemoth, designed for stealthy dominance in global seas.

Crafted by the elite Rubin Design Bureau, the Khabarovsk class submarine boasts cutting-edge propulsion and armaments, including robotic underwater systems for border defense and expeditionary ops. Russian Defence Ministry officials touted it as a cornerstone for safeguarding maritime interests worldwide, with enhanced stealth features to evade detection. At over 150 meters long and displacing 20,000 tons submerged, it promises unmatched endurance, potentially carrying up to six Poseidon drones in its arsenal. This launch caps years of secretive construction started in 2014, underscoring Russia's push against Western naval encirclement.

Central to the Khabarovsk's menace is the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone, a compact autonomous weapon with a reactor 100 times smaller than submarine norms, as revealed by President Vladimir Putin. Capable of intercontinental dashes at speeds outpacing torpedoes and diving to extreme depths, it evades all known defenses. Recent successful tests from a "mother submarine" validated its propulsion, positioning Khabarovsk-class boats as primary launch platforms. Kommersant reports emphasize its role in future fleets, blending AI autonomy with nuclear punch for unparalleled strike radius.

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Dubbed the "doomsday missile" by Deputy Security Council head Dmitry Medvedev, Poseidon packs a 100-megaton warhead to unleash radioactive tsunamis devastating coastal metropolises. Duma Defence Committee chair Andrei Kartapolov boasted it could "wipe out entire nations," flooding cities with lethal waves and fallout. Military analysts view it as a second-strike equalizer, ensuring mutual assured destruction even if land silos fall. Unveiled in Putin's 2018 arsenal speech, the drone's integration amplifies Russia's deterrence, targeting foes like NATO ports in a hypothetical Armageddon scenario.

This rollout, timed post-Poseidon trials, signals escalating undersea arms race amid Ukraine tensions and NATO expansions. While Russia hails it as defensive innovation, Western experts decry the apocalyptic escalation, fearing it erodes arms control pacts. With a sister sub Ulyanovsk under build for Northern or Pacific Fleets, Moscow eyes bipolar ocean patrols. The Khabarovsk's entry bolsters Putin's "unbreakable shield" narrative, but at what cost to global stability? As sea trials loom, the world watches warily for ripples from this nuclear leviathan.

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